Texas A&M University to establish graduate program in homeland security

December 4, 2006

• Launch will focus on interdisciplinary master’s degree
• Master’s studies should become available within 18 months
• Doctorate in homeland security is part of long-term planning

• Integrative Center for Homeland Security will lead process
  

COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M University will establish a graduate program in homeland security, the university's regents have decided.

The program initially will offer an interdisciplinary master’s degree and eventually a doctoral degree. Regents on Friday approved the process to create the program.

If the program receives approval from the state of Texas, the master’s curriculum should become available in about 18 months.

Dr. J. Rick Giardino, dean of graduate studies, asked Texas A&M’s Integrative Center for Homeland Security to take the lead in the process of preparing the program for state approval.

“We will make a robust effort to coordinate the curriculum with existing elements of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense and state and local agencies nationwide,” said Dr. David H. McIntyre, ICHS director. “The deans have made it clear that they want a program that will meet the highest standards of academic quality and will be a program that Texas A&M can be proud of.”

The process will involve three committees:

Advisors from existing programs at Texas A&M that offer education in homeland security issues.
Interested faculty at Texas A&M.
Deans at Texas A&M.
The deans unanimously approved pursuing the program during the summer.

Dr. McIntyre anticipates that the program will offer a set of core courses enhanced by multi-disciplinary electives from across the university.

ICHS is communicating by newsletter with more than 100 Texas A&M faculty members on the progress of the proposed degree program. To subscribe to the newsletter, faculty should contact Laura Spencer at (979) 862-2432.

About the Integrative Center for Homeland Security:

Located in Research Park on the Texas A&M University campus, the Integrative Center for Homeland Security explores the entire range of homeland security activities, identifies educational, research, and outreach needs, and helps match them against the many world class capabilities of the Texas A&M University System.

Website: http://homelandsecurity.tamu.edu/

Media contact:

Rusty Cawley

Communications Specialist for Homeland Security

email: rcawley@vprmail.tamu.edu

phone: 469-338-9478

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